Design Wunderkind Corban Harper

Designer Corban Harper isn’t just on a roll, he is steamrolling: Since graduating from the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tukwila last February, the 22-year-old women’s wear designer has quickly become the de rigueur attraction at local fashion shows, thanks to his graceful, feminine gowns and polished ready-to-wear. But the winner of Project Red Dress and of Metropolitan Fashion Week’s Best Emerging Designer award is also a thoughtful, cerebral artist.

“Fine art is my muse, from the palette to the shapes; women’s wear translates within these parameters so beautifully,” he says. Soft lines abound in a larger-than-life velvet ball gown, or a flowing cream blouse mixed with a harder-edged high-waisted crop pant. Harper pushes the boundaries of shape, creating new silhouette proportions with abstractly placed pockets, gowns nipped close to the knee for a mermaid effect and impeccable draping that has caught the interest of many a savvy dresser.